Hot Chocolate of Dreams
I realise that blog title is quite a claim! Maybe it should be ‘my’ hot chocolate of dreams, but it could be yours too.
As the weather has become cooler I have started to yearn for a luscious mug of hot chocolate. It is a warming, comforting treat that hits the spot. I hadn’t thought to write about making hot chocolate on the blog as, well, it is just a hot chocolate. But when I started to think about all the variables you can create, I suddenly became inspired to venture away from just grated chocolate and hot milk…maybe this will inspire you to try a twist to your hot chocolate.
I get disappointed when I order a hot chocolate in a cafe and I am presented with drinking chocolate stirred into boiling water. For me, there are some basic fundamentals that make a hot chocolate. Firstly, and most importantly above all things sacred, it has to be actual chocolate, I will never budge on this. It gives a depth of flavour that nothing else can match, my personal preference is dark chocolate - but whatever floats your boat.
Pretty much anything else goes when it comes to the rest of the hot chocolate process, except boiling water! Using milk gives the drink a rich texture, almond milk makes a nice substitute too.
My Best Hot Chocolate Recipe (serves 2)
6 tbsp grated dark chocolate
500ml milk
2 tsp malted drink powder (Horlicks)
2 tsp cornflour
pinch of cinnamon to flavour
Put the grated chocolate and Horlicks into a medium bowl.
Pour your milk into a small pan and bring almost to boiling point. Then pour the milk over the grated chocolate and leave to stand for a minute of so, to give the chocolate time to melt. Stir until all the chocolate and Horlicks have dissolved.
Pour the chocolate mixture back into the medium pan on the heat, leaving about a tablespoon of the mixture behind in the bowl.
Whilst the chocolate heats back up, mix the cornflour into the hot chocolate mixture left behind in the bowl, until dissolved, then pour all of it into the saucepan with the rest.
Stir continually to allow the cornflour to thicken the mixture. Bring to just below boiling point and stir through the cinnamon.
Pour your hot chocolate into your best mug and top with marshmallows, sit back, relax and savour this special seasonal moment.
When it comes down to adding additional flavours you can go to town! A lovely combination is to add a few chilli flakes to the milk when you are heating it up, then strain before pouring - chilli and chocolate makes a great combination. A swirl of salted caramel in the bottom of the cup takes it to a new delicious high!
If you fancy making your own marshmallows (do it do it do it) then there is a recipe in my previous post that makes the fluffiest, lightest, yummiest marshmallows I know.
Enjoy experimenting with your hot chocolate creations! If you have any flavour recommendations that I need to know about, then please let me know in the comments below. See you next Friday for more seasonal inspirations.
